State to introduce yoga as subject in 1,000 govt schools

Dehradun: In the next couple of months, the state government will identify around 1,000 schools and introduce yoga as a subject for both primary and secondary level students. This announcement was made by chief minister Harish Rawat while inaugurating the International Yoga Festival at Muni-Ki-Reti in Rishikesh on Sunday. Rawat said that senior officials in the education department will be soon identifying the state-run schools to introduce the course.
Addressing over 350 participants from across the country and even overseas, the chief minister said that the state government will recruit professionally-trained instructors to teach yoga to children. The government's decision to start Yoga as a subject in the schools came a day after the Central government gave much weightage to it in its Budget proposals presented by finance minister Arun Jaitley.
Rawat said keeping in view the suitable climatic conditions and the conducive atmosphere in Uttarakhand, yoga will really be helpful to keep the children healthy. “We need not imitate anyone to boost yoga as this age-old exercise has been an integral part of the hill state,” he said.
Senior government officials also told TOI that talks were on to provide financial assistance to individuals who open yoga institutes in the state.